INDIANAPOLIS — "Reading is fundamental, grab you a book or a toy."
That's just one of the greetings parents and children were met with Saturday morning at Arlington Middle School as hundreds of parents prepare for their kids to go back to school.
"I'm a single mother of three teenagers, so it's nice to have that help and support," Ciara Davis said.
Davis is getting ready to send her three teens back. She stopped by the 10th Annual Back 2 School Party and Community Day put on by New Direction Church and several other partners.
"It's a chance for us to give back to our entire community," said Pastor Kenneth Sullivan Jr., who helped organize the event. "We 3,000 backpacks, have over 1,000 school uniforms, over 500 brand new tennis shoes for children, and school supplies."
On top of that, organizers offered free health screenings, haircuts, manicures and free tablets.
"The tablets are important. My daughter is starting a new school, and they have a 'BYOD' — bring your own device — so it's really nice to have that not have to come out of cost or out of pocket," Davis said.
According to the National Retail Federation, the average family will spend about $890 on back-to-school supplies, something families 13News spoke with say is just too much.
"These resources really help because sometimes, we're not as fortunate to purchase these items, and just having these communities allow us to really have our year set for us, so we're just really grateful for the community that helps us," Davis said.